Harness.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

C. 0. KING. HARNESS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lv lfl/VE/VTDR CHARLES C. KING.

'8, ATTOR/VHS WITNESSES.-

PATENTEDjAPR. 17, 1906,

C. G. KING.

HARNESS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I/Vl/E/VTOR CHARLES 0. KING.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS CHARLES COOPER KING, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Jcatented April 17. 1906.

Application filed June 17,1905. Serial No. 265,714-

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES COOPER KING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Harness, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in harness; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a View of the same applied to an existing set of harness: a plan view of the frame. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form. Fig. 5 is a view of the same applied to an existing set of harness and used with breast-harness. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the plate used with breast-harness, and Fig. 7 is an end view of the shaft-stirrup.

In the practical application of my invention I provide a back-strap A, having con nected with one end thereof a crupper a and connected at the other end with a collar or a breast-strap, as may be desired.

A plurality of pads B, of leather, felt, or other suitable material, are connected with the back-strap by means of the keepers b b, centrally arranged at either side of the pad and through which the back-strap is passed. One of the pads, preferably the central one, is provided with keepers 11 through which passes the back-band b and upon the keepers are secured the terrets b Keepers b are arranged upon the ends of the remaining pads, and through the keepers are passed a plurality of straps b the ends 5 of which depend on either side from the pads.

A crescent-shaped frame C, having the form shown in Fig. 3, is provided with a plurality of eyes 0, in the central one of which is buckled the end of the back-band, the ends 6 of the straps 6 being buckled in the remaining eyes. It will be understood that a frame is provided on each side of the harness, the frames on the two sides being similar in all respects. The central eye 0 of the frame is extended downwardly in oval shape, forming a loop r, receiving the end of the bellyband 0 and to a cross-bar c in the loop is buckled a shaft-tug c.

A stirrup E, comprising a yoke e, having journaled transversely therein a roller 6 is Fig. 3 is secured to the free end of the shaft-tug for supporting the shaft 6 In using my improved harness with a breast-strap I provide the plate D, having diverging branches at either end and provided with a mortise b for the reception of the back-strap. The rear diverging branches are secured. to the terrets, and in the forward. branches are journaled rollers d to receive the neck-straps of the breast-strap, a retaining-loop I) being provided to retain the strap upon the rollers.

In the drawings I have shown the pads rovided with keepers to retain the straps in place; but it is evident that the said straps may be passed through slits in the pads, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to retain them in place.

In the ordinary form of harness the harness-saddle is placed on the tenderest part of the horses back, and the unequal motion of the vehicle causes a continuous rubbing there of, due to the fact that the shafts do not slide freely through the stirrup. By providing the friction rollers in the stirrups the shaft is permitted to move freely thereover, thus reducing to a minimum the rubbing due to this cause, and by providing a plurality of supports for the stirrup at different points on the back a firmer support for the stirrup is provided, decreasing to a considerable extent the movement thereof and also equalizing and distributing the weight of the shaft.

This improvement may be applied to existing harness, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and should a chafe appear under one of the pads the strap connecting such pad with the frame may be loosened, thus releasing the pressure on that part.

In Figs. 4 and 5 are shown a form of pad provided with slits instead of keepers for the reception of the straps and a plate having openings to receive the straps instead of the frame provided with eyes.

In the form of harness shown in Figs. 4 and 5 it would be necessary to secure the pads D or the straps b to the back-strap to prevent the pads from slipping along the said strap; but in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the plate C will keep the pads separated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected with the back-strap, a back-band connected with the central pad, a plate connected with one of the pads and the back-strap, and provided with diverging branches at its free end, rollers ournaled longitudinally of the branches, straps connected with the remaining pads and depending from either end thereof, crescent-shaped frames provided with eyes to receive the depending straps and the back-band, shaft-tugs depending from the frames, stirrups connected to the shaft-tugs, and shaftsupporting rollers journaled transversely of the stirrups.

2. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected with the back-strap, a back-band connected to one of the pads, straps connected with the remaining pads and depending from either end thereof, crescent-shaped frames provided with eyes to receive the depending straps and the back band, shaft-tugs depending from the frames stirrups connected to the shaft-tugs and shaftsupporting rollers journaled transversely of the stirrups.

3. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected with the back-strap, one of said pads being provided with terrets, straps connected with the pads and depending from either end thereof, frames provided with eyes to receive the de pending straps, shaft-tugs connected with the frames, and stirrups provided with shaftsupporting rollers connected with the shafttu s.

Z. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads movably connected to the back-strap, terrets on one of the pads, straps connected with the pads and depending from the ends thereof, frames connected to the free ends of the depending straps, shaftsupporting stirrups and means for securing the stirrups to the frames.

5, In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected with the back-strap, shaft-supporting stirrups, rollers j ournaled transversely of the stirrups and a plurality of straps connecting the pads and the stirrups.

6. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected with the back-strap, means for receiving and support ing a shaft, and means connecting said supporting means with the individual pads.

7. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected with the back-strap, shaft-supporting means, means connecting the individual pads with the shaftsupporting means, a breast-strap provided with a neck-strap and means connected with one of the pads for receiving and supporting the neck-strap of the breast-strap.

8. In harness, the combination of a backstrap, a plurality of pads connected to the back-strap, a breast-strap, and means connected with one of the pads for receiving and supporting the breast-strap.

9. In harness the combination of a backstrap, shaft-supporting means, a plurality of means connecting the shaft-supporting means with the back-strap whereby the weight of the shafts is distributed on different parts of the back-strap.

10. In harness, the combination of a back strap, shaftsupporting means, means connecting the shaft supporting means with a plurality of points on the back-strap, and means whereby the pull of the shaft-supporting means may be shifted to different parts of the back-strap.

CHARLES COOPER KING.

Witnesses:

L. G. GARMs, J. SAMUELs. 

